TECH: Getting the Prose Right

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Original Posting 2 March 2009

Effective Prose

Writer's Digest, August 2006, pages 24 and 25, the Fiction Essentials column by Nancy Kress focuses on the building blocks of effective prose. And before people start worrying about spelling and grammar, that's not really what Nancy is going to push. Even though she is reminding us to make sure we're using the language to do our best job.

So you've got a wonderful story -- great premise, moving characters, exciting plot twists. But people aren't reading it? What's wrong? "To improve your chances of selling, reshape your prose so the essential story can shine through. This means crafting paragraphs that are economical, smooth, varied, accurate and muscular."

Economical -- burn like sunshine. Nancy reminds us that Robert Southey advised, "Be brief; for it is with words as with sunbeams, the more they are condensed the deeper they burn." Watch out for bloat. Cut out extra words.

Smoothness -- how things connect. I, like, commas, too, much? Between sentences, paragraphs, and scenes, use the right transitions.

Variation -- more than a "one-note Johnny." If every sentence follows the same pattern, it gets monotonous. Beware the singsong rhythm, the repeated thump thump thump. Variation keeps readers awake.

Accuracy -- get your facts straight. Details may be goblins of little minds, but they are also good ways to trip yourself. Make sure you get them right.

Muscle -- use the heavy lifters. Nouns and verbs make powerful prose.

"After you've finished a first draft, revise your work with the five characteristics of good prose in mind. Because it can feel overwhelming to consider all this as you write a first draft, concentrate initially on telling your tale and developing characters. Plan on a careful revision to bring your prose up to the level of your story -- and you just might have a sale."

What fun! As an assignment, take your work in progress -- one that is past the first draft stage -- and apply Nancy's five points. Check for wordiness, and remove extra flab. Smooth out the transitions. Make sure that the language has enough variation to keep the reader awake. Check those details -- is it consistent and accurate? And make nouns and verbs do most of the work.

Effective prose in five little points.
Write!

EXERCISE: Did you hear about

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Original Posting 3 March 2009

TMI? Oh, too much information

Over here at http://us.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/02/16/cb.tmi.at.the.office/index.html they suggest 13 things that you should keep yourself at the office. They suggest that these are topics that make people uncomfortable, offering unnecessary peeks into financial situations, sex life, or health problems.

Your assignment? First, pick a number from 1 to 13! Go ahead, pick the number before you look at the list. Have you got your number yet?

Yes! Good, now look at the list and see which one you picked. Consider a working situation, or even a family, crowd in the restaurant, or other group where someone just can't hold back. All you have to do is write up the scene -- introduce the characters, make the revelation, and then walk us through the reactions, the spreading ripples of changed perception and attitude and actions.

Here's the list (more details? Go read the web piece):

1. Medical history -- especially medical conditions!
2. Confidential work information
3. Plans to quit
4. Online venting sites -- your blog or whatever?
5. Matters of the heart -- love, romance, and other emotional landmines
6. Politics
7. Salary information
8. Religion
9. Your privileged life -- just because you know someone, doesn't mean you have to tell everyone
10. Therapy sessions -- what did you say on the couch?
11. Personal life complications
12. Gossip
13. Your Chris Rock routine -- apparently a comedian who pushes the limits?

Don't like those? Well, pick some information that you think a character really should keep private. Then drop it into the scene, and write the ripples.

Ride the waves!